The present invention generally concerns improved method and corresponding apparatus for internally sealing an elastic membrane expandable container, and more particularly concerns self-sealing and desirably sculptured containers such as a balloon.
Elastic membrane inflatable containers are commonly known. For example, balloons, inner tubes, elastic containment devices, and the like are known and used by those in the art as well as the general public. Various mechanisms for sealing such containers are also known, but generally none which employ the concepts and obtain the advantages of the present invention.
Stop cocks, plugs, staples, knots, heat seals, and any other number of devices and methods are currently used for sealing inflatable containers. Additionally, reverse-seating pressure actuated devices, such as an inner tube valve stem, are known which use the actual pressure within the container as the sealing force. However, such methods and devices in general completely seal the interior volume of the container to the outside. With such prior art devices, once the container is sealed it is generally impossible to access the interior volume of the container without breaking the seal thereof.
The present invention in general provides apparatus and method which seal the container while beneficially providing access to the interior volume thereof. This invention accomplishes such present purpose by using the interior face of the elastic membrane and the elastic forces generated thereby to seal one end of a generally hollow element inserted into the container, with the container sealed around this element generally at the other end thereof. Advantageously, by further insertions into the tube exposed end, any number of devices are provided access to the interior volume of the already inflated container without unsealing and deflating the container.
In general, there are also various methods and devices known in the art for shaping and forming inflatable containers into some desired configuration. For example, balloons are often currently shaped by tieing or knotting balloons together or by configuring them around some external framework. In another (generally more expensive) approach, the balloon itself may be fabricated into the final desired shape. The present applicant has also sculptured balloons by inserting relatively rigid components, such as wire or plastic rods, into the balloons to deform them internally into a desired configuration. However, until the present invention, none of the known sculpturing methods have utilized the sculpturing device to also seal the container nor to provide access to the internal volume of the inflated container.
The present invention recognizes and addresses various of the foregoing problems, and others, concerning elastic container operations. Accordingly, broadly speaking, a principal object of this invention is improved method and apparatus relating to elastic containers.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and corresponding method for sealing an elastic membrane expandable container capable of maintaining substances therein in a pressurized state.
A more specific present object is to provide apparatus and methodology for internally sealing an elastic membrane expandable container utilizing the elastic force of the membrane as part of the actual sealing mechanism.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide sealing apparatus and method for elastic membrane expandable containers that allow objects, such as a light source or pressure/temperature control device, to be inserted into the pressurized container without breaking the seal on the container.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a sealing apparatus for an elastic membrane expandable container capable of being pressurized with any combination of gas, liquid, or fine particulate matter exhibiting fluid mass properties.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sealing apparatus and method for internally sealing balloons. More particularly, it is an object to provide method and apparatus especially useful in the art of fabricating aesthetic balloon configurations.
And still another object of this invention is to provide a sealing apparatus for elastic membrane expandable containers that allows a plurality of the containers to be connected in series and/or parallel combination and where the combination of containers can be pressurized generally simultaneously or sequentially.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an internal sealing apparatus and method for elastic membrane expandable containers that further allows the container to be internally shaped and sculptured into any desired form. Present attainment of such object is particularly useful in the context of the aforementioned aesthetic balloon configuration application.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a pressure relief/vent containment device.
A further object of this invention is to provide and internal sealing apparatus for elastic membrane expandable containers further having a pressure relief device preventing the rupturing of the expandable container from an overpressure condition.
And yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sealing apparatus for elastic membrane expandable containers capable of maintaining the substance carried within the container between a desired pressure band.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide of method for internally sealing and sculpturing an elastic membrane expandable container.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for internally sealing and sculpturing balloons.
These and other objects, aspects, and features of this invention are more particularly discussed and described in the remainder of the specification. Various modifications and alterations to the features, elements, and constructions disclosed herewith may occur to those of ordinary skill in the art, and are intended to come within the spirit and scope of this invention by virtue of present reference thereto. Such modifications and variations may include, but are not limited to, the substitution of functionally equivalent structures, means, elements, and steps for those expressly disclosed, illustrated, or suggested herewith, as well as the functional or positional interchange of various features or steps disclosed as would be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.
Still further, it is to be understood that different embodiments, as well as different presently preferred embodiments, of this invention, may include various combinations or configurations of presently disclosed features or steps, or their equivalents (including combinations or configurations of features or steps not expressly shown or stated).
To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for internally sealing elastic membrane pressurizable expandable containers according to the present invention, generally comprising a relatively rigid tubular insert having a sealing end and an inflating end, the insert extending into the expandable container an adequate distance so that the sealing end internally seats against and stretches the elastic membrane at some point within the container so that the elastic force of the stretched elastic membrane seals the sealing end while the inflating end extends from the expandable container. Such apparatus further includes means for sealing the expandable container around the tubular insert generally at a point between the inflating end and the sealing end so that upon connecting the inflating end to an external pressure source, a pressurized substance travels through the tubular element and causes the elastic membrane to unseat from the sealing end such that the pressurized substance enters into and expands the expandable container, and upon disconnecting such external pressure source the elastic force of the membrane reseals the sealing end.
More specifically, the apparatus of this invention allows for the internal sealing of elastic membrane containers, particularly balloons, that are capable of being pressurized with and maintaining substances in a pressurized state. Such substances may include gasses, liquids, or fine particulate material.
In another presently preferred embodiment of this invention, the tubular insert, being hollow, allows for the insertion of any number and type of devices into the interior volume of the container while it is inflated without breaking the seal on the container. For example, a light source such as an activated chemical light may be inserted into the tubular insert for internally illuminating the inflated balloon and creating an alluring and pleasing creation. In another preferred embodiment, temperature and/or pressure control devices may be inserted into the container through the tubular insert, for controlling the temperature and pressure of substances within the inflated container without actually contacting the substance or breaking the seal of the container.
In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sealing apparatus may be utilized as a pressure relief/vent containment device. In instances where it is undesirable to have a venting vessel relieve or vent to atmosphere, the apparatus of the present invention can be connected to the vessel's vent. The substance relieving from the vessel will then be contained and sealed within the expandable container.
In another preferred embodiment, a pressure relief tube may also be included within the expandable container. The relief tube is also sealed by the elastic membrane and defines a relief path for the pressurized substance to escape from the container upon an overpressure condition therein. In a further preferred embodiment, a plurality of these devices are connected in series by having the relief tube, in essence, relieve into another present apparatus. In this manner any number of the apparatuses may be connected and pressurized or inflated sequentially.
In another preferred embodiment of this invention, the tubular insert is preconfigured into some shape or design to internally sculpture the inflated container, in addition to sealing it, into some desired configuration. The shaped tubular insert presses against and deforms the elastic membrane container from the inside.
To further achieve the objects and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and described herein, there is provided corresponding method for sealing an expandable elastic membrane container, particularly such as a balloon. Generally, such exemplary method according to the present invention comprises the steps of inserting into the container a relatively rigid tubular insert having a sealing end and an inflating end so that the sealing end internally seats against and stretches the elastic membrane at some point within said container so that the elastic force of the membrane seals the sealing end, while the inflating end extends from the container; sealing the container to the tubular insert generally at a point between the inflating end and the sealing end; and connecting the inflating end to an external pressure source so that a pressurized substance travels through the tubular insert and causes the elastic membrane to unseat from the sealing end such that the pressurized substance enters into and expands the container. Such method may also further include disconnecting the external pressure source from the inflating end so that the elastic force of the membrane reseals the sealing end.
In another preferred embodiment of this invention, the method further comprises the step of internally sculpturing the expandable container by preconfiguring the tubular insert into some desired design. Hence, when the tubular insert is placed within the expandable container, it presses against and deforms the elastic membrane from the inside resulting in an internally sculptured inflated container.
In another preferred embodiment, the method of this invention further includes the step of inserting a light source and/or temperature and/or pressure control device into the expanded container through the tubular insert.
Still another present exemplary method comprises a method of fabricating an aesthetic balloon creation, comprising the steps of providing a plastic tube with first and second ends, an elastic balloon, and a short section of a tubular fitting; inserting the first end of the tube into the balloon and stretching the balloon over the length of the tube generally to the second end thereof; temporarily securing the stretched balloon at the tube second end; applying the tubular fitting to the tube second end and about the stretched balloon so as to secure and seal the stretched balloon thereat; forcing a fluid (i.e., a liquid or a gas) into the tube second end so as to fill the balloon to a desired amount; and interrupting the flow of forced fluid to the tube second end so that the elastic force of the stretched balloon seals the flow of fluid at the tube first end.
Additional aspects and features of such exemplary embodiments and others are discussed in greater detail below.